Franklin Township trims $700,000 from school budget

The Franklin Township Council voted to slice about $700,000 from the town school district's budget -- a spending plan that residents rejected by just 91 ballots in last month's school elections.

After hours of public pleas to refrain from severe cuts and intra-council bickering, the elected officials scaled back from the $1.15 million in cuts that had been presented before Tuesday night's vote. Instead, they chopped off about $700,879, which were cuts the school board had reluctantly recommended.

"Obviously, I didn't want any cuts," Superintendent Ed Seto said. "But the fact that they backed off ... to me, that is a demonstration of faith and willingness to work with us to minimize cuts."

Voters in Somerset County's most populous town had defeated the proposed $136.4 million budget that included increases in spending for staff training, special education instruction and support services, and other district initiatives under Seto.

Council members Teresa Danile, Shirley Eberle, Dan Glicklich, Brian Levine, Rajiv Prasad, Willis Sumter and James Vassanella voted for the measure. Councilwoman Kimberly Francois, who earlier said she would like to make no cuts to the school budget, voted no.